Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) Publishes 2016 Annual Report

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) today released its 2016 annual report highlighting ongoing efforts to manage the water resources of the 13,539-square-mile Delaware River Basin that provides drinking water for an estimated 15 million people.

This year’s report focuses on “Clean Water by the Numbers” emphasizing the efforts and results of the commission and its staff of engineers, aquatic biologists, geologists, modelers, planners, and others to provide clean and sustainable water resources throughout the Delaware River Basin.

“Measuring changes to water quality can be complex,” said DRBC Executive Director Steve Tambini.  “In 2016, we saw a continuation of DRBC-driven water quality improvements throughout the basin.”  For example, in watersheds that drain to the basin’s Special Protection Waters (from Hancock, N.Y. to Trenton, N.J.), DRBC’s goal is no measurable change to existing water quality except toward natural conditions.  DRBC’s monitoring and assessment programs confirmed in a report published in 2016 that the Lower Delaware – a 76-mile stretch of the river extending from just below the Delaware Water Gap at Portland, Pa./Columbia, N.J. to Trenton – not only met the no measurable change water quality objective, but showed reductions in nutrient pollution at most sites.  “Our annual report highlights these improvements along with many other DRBC programs that we employ to effectively manage our shared water resources in the basin,” said Tambini.

The annual report, along with short supporting videos that give an overview of the commission’s work, can be viewed at www.nj.gov/drbc/about/public/annual-report2016.html.

The compact that formed the DRBC in 1961 requires the publication of an annual report covering the commission’s programs, operations, and finances.  The DRBC is a federal/interstate government agency responsible for managing the water resources within the Delaware River Basin without regard to political boundaries.  The five commission members are the governors of the basin states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) and the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division, who represents the federal government.

To learn more about the commission, please visit www.drbc.net or follow DRBC on Twitter at @DRBC1961